//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The Crystal Head // Story: Within the Amulet // by Crabs_of_steam //------------------------------// Present day, Province of the Crystal Empire It was early in the morning when a squad of guards were sent to check on the status of one of the numerous villages in The Crystal Empire. General Shining Armour stepped up onto to the hill and gazed on the village below. " Goddess be damned! Not another one." The village Shining looked at was completely abandoned. Devoid of all pony life. This was the second village this week which added to the total of five abandoned villages. Ever since the defeat of Sombra the. The Windigos that thrived off Sombra's hate left the land revealing fertile soil. This launched the Crystal Empire into a golden age, the Empire's population had had boomed as settlers from Equestria came and established villages all over the province. It was now Shining Armour's job to protect the developing settlements. He had garrisoned troops in all the villages to maintain order, but never to defend against an attack. Shining Armour and his squad of thirteen pony guards walked down to the village. There were a random sorts of items that litter the floor, from food to valuables they were scattered throughout the entire area of the village. As they continued the dirt roads they walked on were painted crimson from the blood of the fallen guards on the streets. The corpses consisted of both the Equestrian Royal Guard and the guards of the Crystal Empire. Shining Armour pointed to the squad he was leading. "Identify the bodies,and gather them here so they may be cremated. Once done search for any survivors and look for clues to the whereabouts of the missing ponies." Shining walked over to the body of a fallen guard. One thing that he first observed was that the pools of blood were still moist this must mean that they have died recently, perhaps a few hours ago or at the latest, a day ago. Shining looked at the source of the blood, a deep slash wound on the chest. Shining then levitated and examined the deceased guard's spear. The blood of the guard painted half the spear, but one thing that caught Shining Armour's eyes was the spearhead. It was dented and bent to the point of uselessness. "Who ever this enemy may be he possesses powerful armor that was enough to break this spear"Shining thought. He then looked at the fallen guard he stood over. The dead guards showed an expression of pure terror, his pupils were size of pinprick. Shining would've been scared out of his wits too if he had been in the dead guard's place. "General Shining Armour!" Shouted one of the guards of the squad. "We've found a survivor." Shining Armour walked over to see the remains of a guard tower. As Shining Armour walked over debris he found his squad circled around what he presumes is the survivor. The survivor was a Unicorn and the member of the guard. The survivor looked right he visited Tartarus. He was bruised and bloodied and his armor was torn revealing his cutie mark image of a telescope. There was so much fear in the eye's that half the squad quivered in fear as if they saw horrifying images reflect off his eyes. Shining Armour broke unsettling silence and spoke first keeping a stern voice. "Soldier, identify yourself." "Private Spectrum, of The Royal Guard," muttered the shaking guard. "Could you explain the events of what happened to the village private?" Spectrum's pupils sunk to the size of pinpricks as recalled what had happened on that night. "They came during the night when all was quiet. It was my turn to keep watch so I was in this tower when this all started. Like a horde of locust they came in large numbers from out of nowhere. We tried to fend off so that the villagers, but to no avail." Our spears had no effect, they only bent and broke when we tried to lance them. We used our magic on them but they only seem to reflect off them. I watched from the tower as my squad mates died." Spectrum looked at Shining Armour and said, "What I'm about to say may seem unbelievable but, believe me when I say this. these enemies heavily resembled ponies." Shining Armour as well as the rest of his squad were shocked. Not only were they immune to almost every known attack, but that they're ponies waging war on their own kind. Shining Armour was angry, his red puffed cheeks made it public to everyone. "What makes you think that we would all believe in such a crazy theory!" shouted Shining Spectrum's eyes wasn't focus on Shining but the object behind him. he lifted his hoof to point at it. "That." Shining as well as the rest of his squad turned around to see a red oddly shaped ball of a crystal, but as they looked at they realized that this ball crystal looked like the head of a stallion. At this realization some of Shining Armour's men went pale or became a sickly green. The crystal head had the features of a regular pony but was distorted. The head was jagged and sharp, the mane was practically a solid block with it's ends pointy like spikes. The only thing that contrasted from it's violent appearance was it's eyes. The eyes showed a level of terror, the same look on a pony's eye just before they die a gruesome death. It was the closest thing that resembled a pony and yet it was the scariest. Shining Armour's eyes shrunk in fear of this enemy. He thought to himself, "Should I even call this thing a pony? Perhaps this abomination used to at once be a pony, but I'm not sure," Shining then recomposed himself masking his fear then spoke" You didn't explain as what to happened to the inhabitants of this village, and what happened to the tower?" Of all the buildings within the village the Guard's tower was the only one destroyed. Spectrum's eyebrows went down to form a saddened expression. "Captured and taken I don't know where to, As for the tower I don't know. I tried to go down to assist my squad mates as the tower collapsed." Shining Armour knew there wasn't much geographical variation in the Crystal Empire. Other than the Crystal Mountains the entire land under the empire was mostly flat lands with small hills. The only thing that would provide an effective hideout would be the crystal caves. Caves dotted around all over the province and could be linked together to form a giant underground network. "Is there any caves around here?" Shining asked "Yes, there's one a few miles down south from here," responded Spectrum. For a moment Shining was silent. He Couldn't sacrifice an entire army of guard just to save a village worth of ponies. He didn't want to abandon the poor souls that has been captured, but he had to protect what he an his wife Cadence had left. After contemplating with these thoughts Shining finally spoke to his squad, "Let's return to camp, we're not gonna save the village inhabitants," As he spoke Shining voice began to tremble. "There's, nothing we can do for them." Shining's squad hold an expression shock on all of their faces, their own general afraid? They weren't surprised their courage had already wavered. Shining turned his head to Spectrum and asked, "Can you walk?" Spectrum nodded and slowly got up to his hooves. He was very lucky to survive the collapse let alone, still have the ability to walk. Before they all departed Shining bagged the crystal head. One last thing that he noted from the crystal head is that though they may be immune to spears and magic they are susceptible to blunt weaponry ,presuming the crystal abomination perished from the collapse. Once done studying it he will send the crystal head to Princess Celestia so that she may provide any knowledge of its race and its weaknesses. For the remaining villages Shining Armour will have no choice to evacuate the villagers into the Crystal City where defenses are being set up right now. Shining and his men walked away from the village and the burning black column of smoke from the cremation of the fallen guards. Shining never fought any of these things first-hand and he was already afraid of them. Never had he met an adversary that were more frightening than the Changelings. Shining had a fear that the end was nigh. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canterlot, The Royal Castle, one day later Princess Celestia sat upon the golden throne as she re-reading Shining Armour's letter. There was worried look on her face. She then looked at the crystal head on top of a small platform. The features of the red crystal sent shivers down her spine as she gazed at it. Celestia hadn't slept in days when she heard of disappearances of entire village communities. She was stressed and her body didn't lie. Her eyes were red and had bags under them, Her bright ethereal mane was beginning to dull and lose its bright hues. She seems to be failing at her royal duties too. Nobles came to her throne room to complain that the sun was too low and was killing some of their exotic plants. Celestia couldn't care less for some plants, but she had agreed that her fatigue was interfering with her work. But still, Celestia was more worried by the contents of Shining Armor's letter. Shining Armour's letter stated that these "Crystal Abominations" resembled ponies and are immune to most form attacks. This made the white Alicorn worried, that would make the all of Royal Guard's Unciorns' attack spells obsolete as they merely reflect off their armor. Pegasai under the Royal Guard wouldn't fair any better any better as their spears would only break when lancing the Crystal Abominations. The only possible weakness for this adversary is to have them crushed by high amounts of force, but ponies didn't have the physical strength to break them even with blunt weapons. She had her top scientists research any background information on these "Crystal Abominations" but they found no known manuscript that would provide any information. What made her and her team of scientists the most perplexed is how this race could even come to be, as well how can it move its limbs if its entire body is made of crystals. The letter also mentioned that Shining had to evacuate all the surviving villagers into the Crystal City and requested supplies to help fight attrition that will inevitably take place. Of course she would give them supplies, Princess Celestia wouldn't want her Niece's people to starve. Princess Celestia still had to worry about her own kingdom. 'What if they expanded and went from terrorizing the Crystal Empire to waging all out war with all of Pony kind? If they do begin a full scale invasion, what hope do we all have of defending ourselves-'. Celestia's thoughts were quickly cut short when there was a sudden flash of blue light followed by the appearance of her younger sister, Luna. The Princess of the Night stood maintaining an imposing stance. with a stern expression said, "Sister. I'm very concerned about your health!" Celestia recoiled at the sudden exposure of light. Her patience was running thin already and was at wits end. She was thankful that her sister learned not to use the Canterlot Voice. Still, that didn't stop a migraine from occurring in Celestia's head. While rubbing her head Celestia said, "Luna, I thought I told you to never to teleport into right in front of me, you know how easily startled I can be." Luna gave out an apologetic smile and responded, "Sorry." Luna wasn't oblivious to what was going in the world around her. She knew of the events that were taking place in the Crystal Empire. The raided villages, the disappearances of hundreds of ponies, and recently the crystal head. "What is it my sister?" asked Celestia her head head hidden behind both her fore-hooves which were busy rubbing her throbbing headache. "the Nobles. They're complaining again that the sun is to low. I came here to fill in your position and take the responsibility as Princess of the Sun so that you may rest." "So, who gave you the authority to takeover?" asked Celestia. "Me." Luna's turned into that of a begging little filly and begged in her lightest voice, "Pwease sister, you're in need of west." Celestia rolled her eye's as she spoke "fine." Celestia swore that Luna had a cuteness that no-pony could resist, and was so childish she could convince others that had a stone heart to do what she please. Luna's eye 's sparkled with excitement and a smile the size of a watermelon appeared on her face. Celestia stood up from her pillow throne and descended down the steps. "Don't let the Kingdom go to ruin while I'm gone! Oh yes, and please don't play with the Crystal Head" Celestia turned to see her sister lounging on the throne tossing the Crystal Head up into the air and catching it. As soon she realized that she was being watched, Luna grabbed the head with her magic and hid it behind her back. Her expression was that of a cheeky smile. Clestia smiled and resumed her walk to her room. "Oh Luna, I hope you never change." When she was close to exiting the throne room scroll materialized in front of her. "It must be Twilight," Celestia thought, "I wonder what she had learned from the Alicorn Amulet?" Celestia unrolled the scroll so that she may read it. Dear Princess Celestia, Thank you for allowing me to study the Alicorn Amulet. I've been able to learn much of its magical properties. Not only does the amulet enhance the magical prowess Unicorns, it increases the physique of Pegasai, and grant immortality to all Earth ponies. I haven't been able learn this from testing on the denizens of Ponyville, instead I was told from a soul within the amulet. This soul claimed he was a pony named Bright Light and that he have been inside trapped inside the amulet. He requested that I bring him to Canterlot and meet Princess Luna. I write to inform that I'm on my way to Canterlot via train. When there I will give the Alicorn Amulet to you, so that you may learn more from him. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle Princess Celestia eyes were wide opened when she finished the letter. "Bright Light?" her eyes went from looking at the letter to looking at the countless stain glassed windows. Her eyes searched through the glass windows foretold the historic events of Equestria. Her eyes stopped at one glass window. It showed a green field and on the field showed a dark green Earth Pony that bore a face of bravery and tenacity atop a hill. This Earth Pony was donned with Royal Guard armor. The armor was golden to and had a golden saddle to signify his rank as a commanding officer. He was standing up right on his back hooves while wielding a strange weapon device on his fore hooves and aimed to the upright corner. On other end of the device was a trail of smoke and a small flying object that headed in the direction of shapes that resembled Griffons. The bottom portion of the window showed other members of the royal guard doing the same thing as their commander, using their strange weapons on the Gryphons. Lastly the top left of the corner was a crimson red circle, inside was the image of a black lantern with a candle inside while in the background there was a pattern of orange and red flame. Nopony who had ever gazed upon this strange image couldn't understand the meaning of this. Most of her subjects asked many questions such as this: Who was this pony, What is that strange device in his fore hooves, how come an Earth Pony is in the Royal Guard, and what does the image of the top left mean? When her subjects would ask she would answer them to the first and last question, "Why, that is Bright Light the Master of Fire." For the other questions she wanted to keep that a secret. Memories of Bright Light came suddenly to Celestia's mind. memories of the names of his device his past creations his time here in Canterlot and the Vault. "The Vault!" gasped Celestia. "Is there something wrong dear sister?" asked Luna. She stopped playing with the Crystal Head and looked at her, Her eye brows showing that of concern. Celestia responded holding a sheepish smile on her face, "Nope nothing is wrong." Luna resumed playing with the Head unaware of her sister. Celestia still kept her false smile, but it was suddenly shattered when another memory came to her mind. Her new expression showed that of guilt and pity when she gazed on her sister. She then remembered why she was leaving the throne room and went to retire in her quarters. When she was at the door of the throne room She looked one last time at her younger sister and thought to herself, "Oh Luna, It has been so long,are you even prepared when he confronts him?"